


the stance of the sea

by burnsidesjulia



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Come Swallowing, Coming Untouched, Episode: e060-066 The Stolen Century Parts 1-7, Established Relationship, Finger Sucking, If You Squint - Freeform, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Light Bondage, M/M, Orgasm Delay/Denial, Praise Kink, Trans Male Character, War, also me? waxing poetic about magnus's body? it's more likely than youd think, magnus is trans ofc, sex is in the second chapter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-08
Updated: 2019-07-08
Packaged: 2020-06-24 15:31:53
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,769
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19726519
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/burnsidesjulia/pseuds/burnsidesjulia
Summary: There's a war going on in this part of the world. Sometimes, there are no good choices.Magnus experiences turbulence. Taako does what he can.





	1. unbreaking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> fic title and chapter titles from "wasteland, baby!" by hozier. all hozier songs have horny energy.

Magnus lies awake and stares at his ceiling. It’s a complete misnomer, he thinks, calling this The Grandest War. That’s what they’re calling it, and he knows the term refers to size and scope, but regardless. He blinks away a small bug that’s become interested in the tears building at his lashline. His whole body is hot with discomfort, sweatier than he’d like to be in his own bed.

He doesn’t know anything but helping. It’s what Magnus does, really, it’s the whole reason he’s on this mission. The issue with helping is that neither side is right, and neither side knows where the light is anyway and they’re only here until they can patch up their ship a little bit. It got beat up as they landed, even the Captain’s skill not enough to avoid the mile-high pillars of stone that dot the earth.

He thinks about the bottom of those stone pillars blowing to pieces, about the dust that rises and the empty space in the sky it leaves. About the pile of dormant rubble.

He sits up in bed, makes a quick decision and gathers his blankets. He doesn’t want to sleep alone tonight. He doesn’t knock on Taako’s door as he enters, and he doesn’t need to. The elf is hardly asleep, a supremely unstealthy eye cracking to get a good look at Magnus. Magnus sits down on the side of his bed, the mattress creaking beneath his weight, and just stays there, his feet firmly planted on the floor. He stays like that for what feels like a long time before he hears a throat clear. He glances back to the source of the noise and finds Taako still feigning sleep.

“What a strange noise for someone to make while they’re asleep,” Magnus jokes somewhat dryly. “I sure hope Taako isn’t dying in his sleep.”

Taako clears his throat again, and the edge of his mouth twitches. Magnus feels himself beginning to smile too. “Maybe he isn’t asleep,” he muses aloud. “Maybe he’s under a spell. A witch kissed him, and cursed him to make some weird noises every time he closes his eyes.”

“The curse is broken with a kiss,” Taako says softly through the side of his mouth, squeezing his voice so it doesn’t sound like his own. Magnus fakes a bewildered look around the room. “Thank you, whoever you are! I promise, I shall break the spell!” He finally turns, bracing himself over Taako’s still body with both hands planted in the mattress, leaning down to kiss him softly on the lips. He feels Taako’s supposedly sleeping (or cursed: Magnus has lost track of the joke at this point) lips smile against his.

“Breaking the curse also requires, let’s say, 3000 gp.” Taako cracks an eye again. “Just your typical witch curse, you know.”

“I don’t have that kind of money,” Magnus scoffs. “None of the crew does.”

“Tough break for all of us,” Taako says, sitting up now to press another kiss to Magnus’s lips. He rests on his elbows, closely examining the crease of Magnus’s brow. “What’s up, big fella?”

“I couldn’t sleep,” Magnus responds. He doesn’t go into detail, which seems fine by Taako, who just pulls him down onto his chest. “That’s okay, my guy. Taako could use a weighted blanket tonight, anyways.” He threads a hand through Magnus’s curly hair, and if he notices the sweatiness to it he doesn’t mention it. He sighs a little, and Magnus can feel his chest struggling to rise under the weight, but he doesn’t complain.

“Thanks, Taako,” he mumbles, and Taako lifts the hand from his hair to wave it vaguely. “Ain’t no thing. Just happy to help.” He returns the soothing hand and Magnus listens as his breathing slows, and then to the steady rhythm of his heart that lulls him, finally, off to sleep.

-

He wishes it were that easy to dispel this discomfort.

He doesn’t go back to Taako’s bed the next night, because Taako does enjoy his space. If Magnus had it his way, they’d share every night, but he doesn’t and he’s honestly unwilling to ask out of fear of being shot down. Long story short, he sleeps in his own bed. Not that he gets much sleep these days.

They don’t really go out of the ship much right now unless it’s to work on it. There’s a war raging on right outside those doors, and the body work being done on the ship is taking longer than anticipated because every time they fix it, something outside fucks it up again. There’s a general feeling of dissatisfaction hovering in the air around the ship. Everyone walks on eggshells.

Magnus has too much free time, he thinks. He tries to fill it, to pick up his guitar again or carve something or he’s even willing to help Barry and Lup with their research to occupy himself at this point. When he’s not focused, his mind drifts back to those people outside, fighting and dying over pointless things. “They’ll die anyways if we don’t go find the light,” Merle unhelpfully reasons to him upon letting his concern slip, and that’s enough to make him decide that he’s not going to talk about it anymore. He’s going to bottle it up and ignore it until they’re all gone or they fly away, whichever comes first.

The issue with that is, Magnus has never been good at bottling things up.

It takes a couple days of purposefully ignoring the situation before he notices a difference, but when symptoms set in they set in hard. His shoulders are constantly tensed, his grip too tight, his head aching constantly. He’s wound so tight that he feels ready to snap but he’s stubborn as hell and refuses to seek help. He lays awake in bed and doesn’t try to sleep.

Taako notices, he thinks. Taako doesn’t say anything but he walks softer around him, gives him a little more attention than usual. He offers sweet kisses at the breakfast table, holds his hand on the couch and tosses his legs across his lap. Magnus is thankful but unswayed. He lets go of Taako’s hand, afraid to squeeze it too tight.

-

He’s going to do something about it, he thinks. Whether he wants to or not.

The Starblaster was supposed to depart from this side of the continent a week ago. They were going to give themselves a solid six months to find the light, unable to get any more time than that. A bomb went off by the bond engine and threw something or other out of wack, and they’ve been stuck for a whole seven days longer than they originally meant to be.

Seven days ago, Magnus was fine. He wasn’t good, of course, but he was alright. Now, he’s twitching in his seat, always fidgeting with his collar or his sleeve or his badge, fingers dancing over the handle of his axe. It would be so easy, really, to go outside and get into the fighting. He knows, of course, that that's where the issue would arise. There’s no clear distinction between the good and the bad in this dispute, and Magnus doesn’t ever hurt the innocent. Every single person out there could be innocent, and then he’d be back at square one again.

He lays out a plan, of course. He’s going to sneak out at night when they’re fighting the least and somehow find a supply shed. He hasn’t really puzzled out how yet, but that’s not important. What’s important is that he’s going to fuck up their whole system, just get rid of the weapons and spell components and maybe they’ll be like, hey, let’s not fight to the death anymore. It’s silly but he thinks about it every night, staring up at the metallic grey of his ceiling. If there’s even a chance that it would save a life, he’d do it.

Seven days. He feels like he’s losing his mind.

When he’s out on the front of the Starblaster, rubbing away at a brand new scuff mark, a little shed in the distance catches his eyes. It’s wooden and clumsily built, and he watches a person of one of this planet’s smaller races disappear into it empty-handed and emerge with a spear. His heart soars. He’s got a read on a weapons shed.

Fuck it if the idea’s bad. He’s going for it tonight.

He goes back inside with a bounce in his step that has definitely been gone for a while. Taako passes him and laughs under his breath.

“Look at you, bouncy boy. You just get your nut on or something?”

“Even better,” Magnus replies before pausing, comprehending what Taako said. He blushes deeply and shakes his head. “I mean. No. Just happy, that’s all.”

“Good!” Taako smiles genuinely, his lips peeling up in that almost unsettling way. Elf smiles are kinda creepy, Magnus thinks, but he likes it on Taako. “I haven’t seen you happy in too long, big fella. Keep it up.” He punches him in the arm and kisses him, a perfect blend of romantic and platonic affection. Magnus considers telling Taako his plan, but decides against it. He sits down on the couch and counts the hours til sundown.

-

Around two hours before it, there’s a strange feeling of buzzing throughout the floor. Magnus feels it but ignores it at first. It carries on buzzing, though, and after a few minutes of activity he can’t brush it off anymore. He walks to the lab, finds Barry and Lup shoveling down an early dinner instead of actually doing work of any kind.

“What’s the buzzing about?” Magnus asks, and both of them stare back, helpless to respond with their mouths full. Barry swallows hard and nods to the front of the ship. “Captain Davenport,” he says, his voice slightly strained. Lup nods, her mouth full. “Mhm. We’w bwashing off.” A couple crumbs spill from her lips. She has a piece of lettuce stuck in her teeth.

“Babe,” Barry says, making a gesture to alert her of it. She licks it away, swallows and continues. “All that’s left on the ship is cosmetic damage. We’re getting out of this place.”

Magnus reels. “We’re leaving right now?”

“Yep. And thank god,” Barry sighs. He sets his sandwich down on the plate on his lap. “I keep meaning to start going for walks. There’s usually somewhere to do it, but the one time I actually have motivation and we’re in the middle of a war zone.”

Magnus doesn’t hear it if he says anything else. He’s slammed the door, stormed down the hall and to the main room of the Starblaster.

“Captain,” he says before he can even see him. Davenport shoots him a glance over his shoulder. “Yes, Magnus?” he asks, but he’s already stopped looking at him. Magnus takes a few steps closer to his chair. “Uh, Captain? I’d like to request we stay, please.”

“Absolutely not,” Davenport replies, not even pausing to consider it. Magnus walks closer. “We need to, sir.”

“What we need to do, Magnus, is find the Light of Creation. It’s not here, and we've only got so much time.”

“What about all these people?” Magnus asks. “What about all the lives being lost?”

“They’ll _all_ die if we don’t find the light. Are you willing to take that chance?”

“We don’t actually _know_ if they die in the Hunger,” Magnus tries to reason. “We know for certain they die when, say, stabbed to death with a stick.” Davenport turns slightly to eye him again. “I think,” he says slowly, “being a part of the Hunger is a fate worse than death. I’m not going to entertain the option, Magnus, so we can drop it now.”

“I-”

“That was an _order,_ Magnus.” Magnus snaps his mouth shut just as quickly as he opened it. Davenports tail thumps the floor impatiently. “You can go now,” he says. “This is rough terrain to navigate.” He turns away and doesn’t say another word, which is fine. Magnus is already leaving.

-

This side of the world is peaceful, soft breezes rustling dry-weather plants that grow lush and green as if they were lawns. They find the light within a week of arriving here. There is no turmoil. No bloodshed. Not even a trace of civilization.

He hates it.

Magnus is not a control freak. That isn’t a word he would use to describe himself, at least, and he doesn’t think it fits at all. He’s just a little upset, of course, at his own failure. He has one duty on this mission, and it’s to keep others safe. How can he feel like he’s achieving that when he knows, some hundred miles away, people are killing and dying senselessly?

He fucking hates it so much. He needs a beer.

He emerges from his own room for maybe the fifth time since they landed and tries to hurry to and from the kitchen without being spotted. No luck. Taako is in the kitchen cooking something that smells delicious, and even with his back turned to him he hears Magnus’s stomach growl. He turns, and it almost makes Magnus smile how his eyes light up.

“Hey, handsome,” he chirps, turning to face Magnus full-on. “Finally ready to grub down?”

“I’m not hungry,” Magnus lies. “I feel sick.” That’s not a lie, but Taako’s face falls regardless. He glances back down at whatever he has in the pot on the stove, and his eyes flicker over Magnus. “Are you sure? You seem like you could use a good meal right about now.” He pauses, and then adds, “Or a glass of wine?”

Magnus does smile at that. Taako knows him so well. “Wine would be nice,” he answers, and swears he sees relief on Taako’s face. Taako takes down two glasses and fills them both to the brim. He eyes Magnus carefully, but he doesn’t mention his absence around the ship or his tense demeanor. Magnus is thankful for this, and he takes the glass from Taako’s hand. Taako leans back against the countertop on one hand while the other lifts his glass into the air. “Shall we toast?”

Magnus smiles, tilting his head. “What’s there to toast to?”

“There’s always something,” Taako scoffs. He thinks for a moment and then says, “To finding the light.” Magnus’s eyes roll before he can stop them and Taako laughs a little, putting a hand up in mock surrender. “Alright, jeezy creezy, not that one then. How about we toast to this being our sixty-ninth cycle?”

Magnus laughs, raising his glass. “Is it really?”

“Who fucking knows,” Taako says, clinking his glass to Magnus’s. Magnus watches him take a long, slow drink before he takes his own. A bead of liquid clings to the bow of his lip, and Magnus sees a quick flash of pink as his tongue darts out to catch it. “Lucretia probably knows,” Magnus says, not looking away from Taako’s mouth. Taako smiles, a dimple popping in his left cheek. “Probably. But my guess is all we’ve got right now baby.” He stops for a moment, and then wipes his mouth with his sleeve. “Hey, loverboy, quit zoning at my mouth. You’re making me think I’ve got something stuck to my lips.”

“You do,” Magnus responds. Taako’s brow furrows, and Magnus can see the question forming in his mouth as he kisses him, their mouths both sweeter from the wine. He pulls back grinning. “It was a kiss.”

“That’s fucking dumb,” Taako says, rolling his eyes, but he abandons the wineglass on the counter in favor of wrapping his arms around Magnus’s shoulders, pulling him closer. Magnus tips his face down to touch noses with Taako, and they each stare back into the other’s eyes.

“You’re goin’ crosseyed,” Magnus points out, but makes no move to pull away. Taako purses his lips just enough to connect with Magnus again. “I’ve gotta check on my food,” he says, and with every word their lips brush. Taako pulls away, and as he stirs the pot Magnus’s stomach growls again. Taako shoots him a vaguely concerned look. “You should eat something, my guy.”

“It does smell good,” Magnus admits, willing to let down his guard a little around Taako. Taako nods. “Yeah. It’s just a nice little soup, but I made it with stuff from around here. Merle helped me scope out some edible plants.”

Magnus starts to nod in reply, but stops himself short. He should feel terrible about that. Why should he get to enjoy the food from this planet if he can’t help the people?

He takes a step back and takes an unreasonably large drink from his glass. Taako’s eyes widen, but he doesn't say anything yet. Magnus shakes his head at nothing in particular. “On second thought, I’m not interested,” he says, and Taako huffs, turning around to face him again and crossing his arms. “Alright, big guy. What’s got your britches up in a twist?”

“Nothing!” Magnus counters, possibly too fast and definitely too forceful. He shakes his head. “I’m just sick, is all.”

“Feed a cold, feed a fever,” Taako shrugs.

“That’s not how that works-”

“My point is, _eat_.” He lifts the ladle out of the pot and offers it to Magnus. “I’ll use a different spoon for serving. C’mon, give it a taste.”

“I’m sick,” Magnus repeats. Taako wiggles the spoon in front of him. “Soup is good for sick people. Here comes the train, choo choo-”

“Taako, I’m sick of _this!_ ” Magnus doesn’t raise his voice often. He’s not quiet by default, and so anything above his regular speaking voice is unpleasant. Taako doesn’t startle at it but he does take a step back, expression going blank. Magnus notices his hands have clenched up, and he releases them.

“I’m sorry,” he says first, because he is. He doesn’t like yelling. He shakes his head and puts a hand in his hair, combing through it nervously. “God, Taako, I just feel so terrible.”

“You should talk to Merle,” Taako says softly, almost like he’s trying not to startle him. “Like, I’m pretty sure there’s some underlying stress here, maybe he could give you something for it-”

“My stress is about this. About _that_. How I can just go and live my life and move on and not feel terrible about all this.” He shakes his head. “I _should_ be feeling terrible.”

Taako’s eyes light with some understanding. He nods slowly. “This is about the war,” he says.

“Yeah,” Magnus breathes. He lets his neck droop. It feels good to admit that. “Yeah.”

“Mags, there was nothing you could’ve done.” Magnus shakes his head again, and this time Taako shakes his too. “There was no way to win. You would’ve just died.”

“I come back when I die, Taako. They don’t.” Magnus feels his heart drumming in his ears, tears rising to his eyes. Taako takes a step closer, setting the spoon back in the pot. “You dying won’t unequivocally fix everything.” Magnus leans into him, head atop Taako’s. “But there was a chance.”

Taako slips out from under him, grabs him by the shoulders and faces him completely. He looks up at him, completely serious. “Magnus, you can’t define your worth by who you save and who you don’t. If we all did, we’d be pretty boned by now.” He cracks a light smile. “Me especially.”

“It’s my job to protect people,” Magnus says, scrubbing a tear away from his eye. “If I can’t do that-”

“Then you’re still a fully functional member of our team with other skills including but not limited to you being my totally excellent boyfriend.” Taako presses a finger up to his lips to stop him from arguing. “I’ll make you something else if you don’t want the soup. But you _are_ going to eat, or we’ll stay here like this all night.”

Magnus considers this. He settles on believing that Taako isn’t bluffing, and pushes the finger away from his mouth. “I’ll just eat a sandwich,” he says. “Thank you Taako.” He pulls him into a hug that lasts longer than necessary.

“Too bad,” Taako says, voice muffled into Magnus’s neck. “I was kinda hoping you’d go second option, and I’d get to just stand here touching your pretty lips all night.”

“I’ll come to bed with you tonight,” Magnus answers, and Taako breathes a sigh of what might be relief.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> next part will be up in the next few days. it's already written, i just need to edit. i wrote the whole thing on a caffeine fueled high so if it's silly or dramatic forgive me. stick around for the sex, and in the meantime gimme a comment, kudos, or bookmark. it really means the world.
> 
> find me on tumblr @dungeondyke. im relistening to balance right now so i'm posting a fair amount of taz, and that's also why im back on my magnus bullshit.


	2. quaking

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> magnus is trans in this fic. he has had top surgery and is on ft (fantasy testosterone). i use """"male"""" coded words for his genitals here. sorry if that squicks you out

Magnus comes to bed fairly late that night, still tense in every sense of the word, but Taako is very much still awake when he gets there. He’s under covers up to his neck, licking his thumb as he flicks absently through page after page of some magazine. Upon closer inspection, Magnus sees it’s from another cycle, some religious pamphlet about a god that didn’t exist in their plane. Taako looks up at Magnus and smiles, but goes back to his reading.

“Getting acquainted with Lastai, I see,” Magnus comments, managing to make his voice almost sound casual as he slides down beside Taako. Taako nods absently. “Her symbol is a peach. Just in case you were wondering.” He licks his thumb and flicks another page.

“Oh yeah? Lemme see what else.” Magnus cranes his neck over to see into the pages, but Taako pulls it back toward himself protectively. “Lemme just read the important parts to you, babydoll. Put some trust in Taako, yeah?”

Magnus scoffs but lays back regardless. He can already feel himself unwinding. “Sure, sure. Go for it.”

“Mhm… one moment please.” Taako flips a couple pages, seemingly randomly, and scans the page in an act of great care and attention to detail. He points to a section as he reads it. “She stresses the importance of equality in all kinds of relationships, from business dealings to relationships and so far as sexual intimacy.” Taako waggles his eyebrows. “Pretty interesting, huh?”

Magnus fakes a yawn. Taako’s brow furrows, and he goes back to scanning the pages. “How about this, then? She is generally depicted as a beautiful, voluptuous woman. Here’s a picture.”

Taako strategically places his hand over the words on the page but turns the open pamphlet to Magnus. Sure enough, there’s a drawing of a woman draped in rich red cloth, and she’s certainly _voluptuous_. She’s scarcely covered but they somehow kept her race fairly vague, probably on purpose. Everyone wants to be that little bit closer to their god.

Magnus shrugs. “She’s not really my type.”

Taako nearly pouts, slamming the pamphlet facedown and still open on his bed. “Oh yeah? What usually floats your boat, then, Mags?”

Magnus pretends to think for a moment, pushing the pamphlet aside so that he can crawl atop his boyfriend. He smooths a hand down his side through the blanket. “Usually? Elven wizards. Five foot something. Big stupid hat.”

“Is that so?” Taako smiles. He puts his hands on Magnus’s shoulders. “I know a guy who would really fucking rock your world, in that case.”

“Tell me about him instead of that lame goddess, then,” Magnus says, arranging himself atop Taako. His left knee rests a little higher than necessary between Taako’s spread thighs. Taako’s smile has gone devilish now, and he tucks two fingers into Magnus’s collar, pulling him closer. “Well, he’s got a _thing_ for big strong dudes like you. He likes that fighter build, you know, that big, warm body. He likes those arms-” Taako punctuates this by smoothing his free hand down Magnus’s right arm, caressing the muscles just under skin. “-those legs. By gods, Magnus, you’ve got thighs like tree trunks. So nice and big, yeah?”

Magnus notices now that he’s been holding his breath. He lets it all out in one big huff that betrays more than he likes how this praise is getting to him. Taako laughs, and the sound is a little breathy, too. “He likes guys who’ve got scars on ‘em. Thinks it makes them look sophisticated, kinda kick ass. Kinda sexy.” He pulls Magnus down into a bruising kiss that lasts nowhere near long enough. “Did I mention that it’s me? I’m the guy. Nice to meet you.”

“Charmed,” Magnus says, and he takes Taako’s hand from his bicep and pulls it to his mouth to kiss it. “What was that about rocking my world, then?”

“We’re getting there. I wasn’t done telling you how hot I think you are.” Magnus blushes all the way up to his ears. “Taako, you don’t have to-”

“I know. I don’t have to do anything. I only do things I want to do.” Taako presses his hand back to Magnus’s lips, fingers teasing the seam of his lips. “Things like fucking you into the mattress.” Magnus’s breath catches and he goes to speak but then those fingers are in his mouth and gods, he’s more than content with that. Taako lets go of his collar to prop himself up on an elbow, leaning closer to Magnus’s face. “Wow, lookie there. You took those so nicely.” He smiles brightly. “I’m so proud of you, Magnus. You’re so very good.”

A quick heat erupts in Magnus’s groin, so easily provoked by that word. Taako must notice the way his tongue still between his fingers, and he wiggles them a bit in his mouth. “C’mon, baby, I was just telling you how good you are. Don’t stop now. Get my fingers nice and wet.” Magnus moans a little at that, closing his eyes and resuming his partially performative, partially debauched and desperate licking and sucking. Taako sits up further and Magnus moves with him until he’s practically sitting in Taako’s lap. Taako uses his free hand to start undoing Magnus’s shirt, pulling at laces and buttons until it’s falling open, revealing Magnus’s chest to him. Magnus, through the contented haze settling in his mind, is almost certain he hears Taako says, “Oh, goody,” as he gets his free hand on all that bare skin. He runs his nail across every groove in his muscles, pauses to trace the line of hair that follows down from his navel before disappearing below his pants, which are already slightly damp between is thighs, he notices now. Taako hums his approval. “What a beautiful body,” he purrs, and Magnus nearly chokes on his own spit. Another thrum of pleasure burns through his blood, and Taako doesn’t stop touching him. “I just love all of this. All of _you_. Every time I look at you I find something new to love.” He traces a few scars on his chest, over sensitive spots and places where surgery reduced the feeling. His hand trails lower and Magnus hums his approval, and he hasn’t noticed that he’s started nodding until Taako assures him that he can stop. “We’ll get there, big guy. We’ve gotta get me undressed first.” Taako pulls his fingers from Magnus’s mouth with a _pop_ , and after just a moment’s consideration he wipes his fingers on the sheet. 

“Need to change this anyways. That was just for funsies.” He takes his sweater off over his head, then his t-shirt. Magnus doesn’t ask permission before moving to kiss Taako’s chest, but judging by the whine it rips from his throat, he didn’t need permission. He sucks bruises into his skin just where he knows Taako’s collar will barely cover it, laves his tongue over skin and skin and skin, slightly salty and warm and thrumming with life. He feels Taako’s heartbeat against his lips. Taako’s fingers tangle up in Magnus’s hair, and he pulls at it solidly, gripping at the root, and Magnus moans against his skin.

“You’re so good with your mouth, Mags, fuck.” He pets down Magnus’s sideburns. “So pretty when you put your tongue on me. I’d love to see what else you can do with it.”

“I’ll suck you off,” Magnus offers immediately, almost obediently, and something in his voice or his expression makes Taako laugh. “Hold your horses there, my dude. I want this to about you.”

“I _like_ sucking you off,” Magnus offers somewhat sheepishly, but Taako just carries on, undoing the laces on Magnus’s pants. “We’ll get there. Lemme do you first, yeah?” Magnus wants to argue, because he’d _really_ like to suck Taako’s dick, but the feeling of his boyfriend’s fingers rubbing against his cock from over his pants changes his mind in a pretty major way. He spreads his legs a little wider, and Taako urges Magnus to roll, flipping them to put Taako on top. When he’s over Magnus he makes up for the size difference with his sheer presence, how crowded into the mattress Magnus feels. It makes him go a little lightheaded. He instinctively lifts his hands and puts them behind his head. Taako laughs again. “Somebody want tied up?” he asks, and Magnus nods so fast he nearly breaks his neck. Taako starts to stand to get ropes from his closet but seems to decide against it, instead just holding his hands outstretched. From nowhere, a rope falls into them.

“It’s possibly an irresponsible use of a spell slot,” Taako admits, “but I didn’t feel like moving.” He makes short work of tying the knots around Magnus’s wrists. They’re not showy, but they’re functional. Magnus is perfectly secured to the headboard and completely left to Taako’s whims. 

“I think I’m gonna lay the plan out for you now, Maggie, and you can tell me if you wanna amend anything. I think I wanna get you coming on my tongue a couple times, then maybe you can get your mouth on me too. If I’m still good to go after that, I’m gonna fuck you into the next goddamn cycle. That sound cool or what?”

Of course it sounds cool. But Magnus is _stressed_ , and when he’s stressed he kind of likes… likes having himself removed from the equation a bit. He really and truly wishes he had arms to hide behind as he asks, quietly and somewhat pathetically, “Can you, like… edge me?”

Magnus could swear he _hears_ Taako perk up.

“Oh, I see,” he says, almost deviously. “This is _news to me_ , Magnus Burnsides. You like it when you don’t get what you want?” Magnus squeezes his eyes shut, unable to answer because he’s suddenly forgotten how to speak Common.

“Unfortunately for you, Magnus, I can be mean. Be careful what you wish for, yeah?” Magnus starts to nod, to give some sort of encouragement, and then Taako pulls his pants down over his thighs and his breath catches. Taako gives a solid pat to each thigh, just a little too light to sting. “God, your thighs, Magnus. I could wax poetic about them all day.” Taako runs his hands up the insides, just high enough to brush his cock with his knuckles. Magnus gives an involuntary twitch which Taako ignores.

“You know, one of these days I think I’d like to fuck your thighs. Get you real nice and wet first so that you’re all slick and hot for me.”

“Taako,” Magnus croaks, his throat inexplicably dry. Taako’s hand stops, heel of his palm directly over Magnus’s cock but not applying any pressure or friction. He smiles. “Yes, Magnus?” Magnus opens his mouth to tell him to move, do _something_ , but what comes out is a jumble of letters that make no word in any language. Taako laughs a little. “Can do,” he answers, and then his fingers are circling Magnus’s cock and the world goes fuzzy.

Magnus registers vaguely that Taako is still talking to him, praising him and various parts of his body, but it’s been reduced to white noise at this point. He’s floating, drifting, every sense clouded in with Taako and the sparks of pleasure that are burning white hot, building, building, oh gods above he’s gonna come-

Taako takes his hand away. Magnus should’ve expected it but somehow he didn’t, he forgot or he thought Taako was bluffing or he doesn’t know or care, just knows that the pleasure ebbs and fades and he’s absolutely _throbbing_ with need.

“That’s a shame, Mags. Seemed like it was gonna be a good one.” Taako licks the slick away from his fingers. “You taste real good, baby. Mind if I go in for some more?” Magnus is already parting his thighs before Taako finishes his sentence. Magnus’s hips are already twitching upward towards Taako’s mouth, toward the warmth and sweet promise of his labored breath.

Taako pauses, nuzzles his nose into the tidy thatch of dark hair between Magnus’s legs, opens his mouth and takes his cock into his mouth. Magnus knows Taako is kind of playing it up but it doesn’t stop his gut from burning as he swallows around it once, then twice, his mouth tightening and the slippery wet walls of his cheeks teasing him. Taako presses his tongue to the head of it and grinds down hard, the force enough to short-circuit Magnus’s brain again. He vaguely hears Taako moaning below him, feels the tickle of his soft dark hair brushing his thighs, feels the barely-there press of his fingers against his entrance. He draws patterns with his tongue, figure eights and diamonds and stars and Magnus is burning, he’s burning, and Taako is wet all the way up to his nose and Magnus just needs a little more.

“No more, in that case,” Taako says, his voice all bubbly and sweet, and Magnus must’ve started speaking aloud at some point, or some other dead giveaway that he was close again. Magnus nearly whimpers, but he doesn’t complain. Taako’s eyes go wide. “Wow, Magnus, what a good, _patient_ boy you are. I think you deserve a reward for that.” He kneels and Magnus finds himself licking his lips at the bulge in Taako’s pajama shorts. Taako _giggles_ , and it’s adorable and Magnus loves him so much.

“You’re cute, Maggie,” Taako says as he works his way out of his shorts. “So sweet. You’re gonna show me how good you can be, huh?” Taako’s knees are spread to either side of Magnus’s chest, his cock just inches from his lips. Magnus starts to lean forward, drawn by a glistening bead of precome on the head. Taako puts a less than gentle hand on his forehead to stop him. “Ah-ah. What do you say?”

Magnus swallows thickly. He’s so aroused he can hardly fucking breathe, panting open mouthed. “Uh.” He swallows again, trying and failing to clear his throat. “P-please. Please let me suck your cock, Taako, please.”

“Good boy,” Taako says, and then he’s guiding Magnus’s head down, a suggestion as opposed to a command. Magnus takes him easily. Taako isn’t particularly big, and years of doing stupid shit to impress pretty boys, including but not limited to suggestive popsicle-eating, has left Magnus with a pretty solid handle on his gag reflex. Taako groans, a shiver running through his body. “Oh, _Magnus,_ ” he croons, and that alone is enough to have Magnus squeezing his thighs together.

Magnus likes sucking cock. Or more specifically, he like anything to do with his mouth; he’s good at it and he doesn’t mind the taste and people like it when he does it, tell him he’s good and that they want more. Doing this with Taako is no different, and he knows how to work him up, how to get him going and then get him there.

Taako moves in and out of his mouth with shallow little thrusts that do little more than tickle the back of Magnus’s throat, and he inhales deep and presses his nose to skin, cheek to hipbone, and when he gets there the idea of having _all_ of him in his mouth sinks in and Magnus moans. Taako swears a little too loudly for the thin walls and moves his hips back and out of Magnus’s mouth, panting. “Magnus, honey, tell me what you want. It’s about you, remember?”

Magnus licks his lips, staring at Taako’s cock. “I want you to…” He trails off. He wants everything but knows that Taako can only go for so long and _gods_ he wants to cum but he thinks he could… maybe if he...

“Would you, umm. Taako, would you, please, come on my face. Please.” His voice is thick and hoarse. He sounds exactly like he just had a cock down his throat, and the idea delights him. He licks his lips again, thinks of the weight of it on his tongue, the rough slide into his throat.

Taako nods, nodding nodding nodding and he puts a hand in Magnus’s hair, the other holding the base of his cock. “Open your mouth,” he says, and Magnus does so obediently. A string of spit drools out of the corner of his mouth, drips to his own chest slowly. Magnus doesn’t care. Every nerve in his body is tied to the movement of Taako’s hand across his own cock, and his stomach is churning with anticipation and he’s rhythmically squeezing his thighs together to put pressure on his aching cock.

Magnus is downright panting, eyes watering and drooling by the time Taako’s hips still. He’s vaguely aware of his chin being slick with spit and his thighs slipping against each other and then he’s not aware of anything but the hot splash of cum that hits his cheek. The next spurt lands in his eyelashes and then, finally, on his tongue, vaguely salty and bitter and the flavor is _his_ , it's _Taako_ , and he moans aloud, eyes closed and thighs tightening again and again and again.

He has just enough time to realize that he might not be _allowed_ to come before he does, Taako’s cum still streaking his face and his tongue and he feels thoroughly used, completely relaxed, and indescribably happy. Taako is sitting back on Magnus’s hip now, wiping at one of many stripes of cum on his boyfriend’s face and feeding it back to him off his finger. Magnus swallows it down, chases the bit still on his lips and wriggles his fingers against his restraints. “Can I. Uh.” He nods upward toward the rope.Taako draws an ‘x’ in the air with his fingers and the ropes fall to pieces, freeing Magnus’s arms. He wipes his face with the back of his arm, flexing his fingers and stretching out his shoulders. Taako stares down at him, eyes absolutely burning.

“Gods, you’re a sight, Magnus, all covered in cum. You should let me do that more often.” He pats him on the cheek, leans in and kisses him. “Did you...?” Taako asks, and Magnus nods almost sheepishly. Taako grins. “You like sucking dick that much, baby? Good to know.”

Magnus tries to speak, but what comes out is a slurred, “Mmmuh,” sound that makes Taako laugh. “Alrighty then,” he says, and slides down into bed beside Magnus. “Do you need a washcloth or anything?” He asks, sweet as ever, but Magnus just shrugs and wipes his thighs with his discarded shirt. “I’ll wash it,” he yawns. “Later.”

“Later,” Taako agrees. He wraps himself around Magnus, his skin slightly tacky from sweat. Magnus doesn’t mind. He winds an arm around Taako’s waist.

“I’m sorry,” Magnus says eventually, when his mind is a little clearer. “For, you know. Freaking out in the kitchen earlier.”

“Water under the bridge, my man,” Taako says. “You’re stressed, Maggie. You deserved a little stress relief.”

“I’m stressed about something dumb,” Magnus assures him. “It’s- I mean- I mean, you were right earlier. I couldn’t have done it all by myself.” He chews on his lip. "I couldn't have done anything."

“It’s not dumb,” Taako corrects him. There is a long, refreshing moment of silence. Magnus can practically hear Taako thinking.

“You’re hurting, Magnus,” he says when he seemingly find the words he was looking for. “And don’t get me wrong, bud, it’s okay to hurt. But you can’t just let it consume you like that, okay?” His eyebrows nudge closer to each other. “Because it will.”

Magnus knows he’s right but he doesn’t have the words to say that right now. He nods instead, and keeps nodding as he tucks his face into the crook of Taako’s neck. Taako’s hands caress his shoulders and then those long, elven fingers are kneading at the muscle, working away some of that tension. Magnus sighs, finally relaxing.

“You can’t save everyone, bubeleh. Just remember that you’re worth saving too, m’kay?”

And Magnus nods again, and with Taako’s hands on his skin, he melts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> magnus deserves a little tenderness.... he needs loved.
> 
> im writing something bigger, also magnus centric, and hopefully better than this. Stay tuned, pop me a kudos or a comment, and follow me on tumblr @dungeondyke. Love you alllll


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